May 7, 2012

Five hundred years ago, it was possible for one human brain to contain all the world’s scientific knowledge. Since then, the number of scientific papers has been doubling every decade—and it’s barely possible for an individual to master his or her own field of study. In the Information Age—when tens of millions of “answers” are at your fingertips—sometimes it’s the questions that we need to pursue. “Knowledge is a big subject,” says neuroscientistStuart Firestein. “But ignorance is bigger.” Chair of the department of biological sciences at Columbia University, director of the Firestein Lab which researches the vertebrate olfactory system and its role in perception and memory, and author of the new book Ignorance, Stuart Firestein asks: What do humans have absolutely no clue about? How can acknowledging the unknown make us smarter? How will ignorance drive science and exploration forward?

Before & After --Saturate yourself in our cerebral grooves --Try our quizzical cocktail of the night, the “WTF?” --Revel in the Q&A (emphasis on Q) --Snag a signed copy of Ignorance, Dr. Firestein’s brain-boggling new book!

The next brainy edition of the Secret Science Club meets Wednesday, May 16, 8 pm @ the Bell House, 149 7th St. (between 2nd and 3rd avenues) in Gowanus, Brooklyn. Subway: F or G to 4th Ave; R to 9th St.

The Secret Science Club is curated by Dorian Devins, Margaret Mittelbach, and Michael Crewdson. Dorian Devins is an NYC-based jazz singer and lyricist, and the former host of WFMU's “The Speakeasy.” Margaret Mittelbach and Michael Crewdson write about nature in the strangest of places; they are co-authors of Carnivorous Nights and Wild New York.